The Zandile Mzazi Story

"Young people are interesting in a sense that, you hum something to them even before you give them the music and already they pick it up. They sing with a natural voice, they sing with so much ease because singing comes from a very honest place."

ZANDILE MZAZI

I come from a musical l family, where everyone is musically talented. If you can’t sing, then you play an instrument. I was fortunate enough as a child to be introduced to oratorio music.

MY greatest influence in my journey of becoming a household name in music

My mother was my conductor when I sang in the school choir. She lay the foundation for my musical development. She has been my greatest inspiration because I believe that had I not been nurtured by her when I was still in my teens, I wouldn’t have been singing today. Maybe people would not even know that I exist. So, it’s all because of her, her patience, her love and support.

God gave me this talent. I became a soloist; I became my mother’s soloist. It was not because I was a conductor’s child but because I worked hard. I sacrificed. I didn’t have a normal life growing up as a child. I didn’t have time to go play with dolls or other girls. It was practice at home and practice at school. That was my life, so it’s all thanks to my mom.

When I realised that I was headed for great musical times

When I was in High school, Mr. Mzwandile Matthews from the Department of Education created a programme for opera which was a new thing. Opera was introduced to schools and I remember when this programme started it was called Tirisano Schools Choral Eisteddfod and I was in grade 11, in 2001.

I remember the solo was Summer Time from Porgy and Bess by Gershwin. I sang the solo and I won a provincial title. I had to go to Durban to represent my province, which is the Eastern Cape. I won number one. I sang with an orchestra for the first time in my life. The funny thing that happened that time was that I was late for rehearsals. I was used to singing to a piano and they said we were going to sing with a full orchestra and there wouldn’t be a conductor.

There was a conductor though, conducting the orchestra but you had to lead yourself. I said to myself, my God, I missed the final rehearsal. What am I going to do? I’ve never sung with an orchestra before, this is my first time. And, my mom said, “Just remember everything I taught you, you’ll be fine. If you were fine with a piano, don’t be frightened because of an orchestra.” I went the following day, I sang and I won. I was a champion. That was in 2001 then I got a scholarship to study music at UCT.

How I responded to the realisation that I was headed to great musical times

I was excited. I was scared at the same time because I come from a family that’s very reserved. I am a first born in my family, I have a sister and two brothers. It’s going to take long. When you decide you want to be a musician it’s scary because of everything that people tell you. At a time that it came I saw that actually I have a chance in this career. I am where I am supposed to be. I can make this work. I can make myself proud, I can make my parents proud, I can make my community proud, I can make my nation proud.

When I sat down I had to admit to myself and say I’m not going to fool myself or I’m not going to fool anybody much as I am good at what I am doing. There was great support and people really wished me well.

Keeping my voice at its peak

I go to a voice lessons once a week. I work with a coach twice a week. So, three times a week, I work with people that are not scared to tell me the truth. Tell me the things I want to hear and the things I don’t want to hear. That’s how you grow as a musician. You need people that won’t be scared or intimidated to tell you that now you are out of tune, now you sing heavy, now your voice was not focused. Sometimes the truth hurts but the truth makes me grow as a musician.

I practice at home. I make noise. I am very blessed that my family is very supportive. They understand once I start singing and humming and doing my scales.

Working with young talent

I love and I enjoy working with young people. They are not complex at all. For me it’s always an honour to work with them. I see it as an opportunity to learn from them or to remind myself that this music is not as complex as I sometimes think it is. You just have to sing with your soul and trust that the instrument that you’ve been given is good enough.

Young people are interesting in a sense that, you hum something to them even before you give them the music and already they pick it up. They sing with a natural voice, they sing with so much ease because singing comes from a very honest place. So when I work with young people, I actually have less work to do instead I sometimes get intimidated.

Giving thanks to God

First, thanks to God. To higher powers, that first and foremost I have a voice. Thanks to my mom and my entire family. I have people that are so loving and supportive, and supportive of my craft. They love me so much to allow me to do what I want to do and be who I am in this world. I’m so grateful. I’m a mom of a five-year-old little girl, who loves art. I mean she wouldn’t be my child if she didn’t have a love for art or if she didn’t have appreciation for art. When I look at her, I’m filled with so much hope.

To God for trusting me with this gift. It’s not so easy at times, it’s got challenges. It’s not as glamorous as most people think.

To my family, my mom, my granny, my siblings, my relatives. No one in my family decided to continue in this journey of being a musician with all the gifts that we’ve been given. They all sing at church to uplift others. My mom decided to groom young singer to become soloists like myself because that’s where I come from. I am very proud of that.

To my husband and child for their sacrifices. They play a very huge role in my career. I am so blessed that I get to travel the world with my family by my side. If I go to audition, if I go to compete in a voice competition, if I go to have concerts in the world, my family is always there with me. I don’t take that for granted.

I have such strong support people that I meet in different parts of the world, people from my own country, from my community that are supportive, people from my church, my spiritual parents and the friends that I have. There’s just so many people involved in my success, I can’t take the credit and say I did it by myself, I didn’t. There’s a saying that goes “it takes a village to raise a child” and I believe that in my situation, indeed it is taking a village to get me to where I am and to continue to get me to where I see myself.

I come from a musical l family, where everyone is musically talented. If you can’t sing, then you play an instrument. I was fortunate enough as a child to be introduced to oratorio music.

MY greatest influence in my journey of becoming a household name in music

My mother was my conductor when I sang in the school choir. She lay the foundation for my musical development. She has been my greatest inspiration because I believe that had I not been nurtured by her when I was still in my teens, I wouldn’t have been singing today. Maybe people would not even know that I exist. So, it’s all because of her, her patience, her love and support.

God gave me this talent. I became a soloist; I became my mother’s soloist. It was not because I was a conductor’s child but because I worked hard. I sacrificed. I didn’t have a normal life growing up as a child. I didn’t have time to go play with dolls or other girls. It was practice at home and practice at school. That was my life, so it’s all thanks to my mom.

When I realised that I was headed for great musical times

When I was in High school, Mr. Mzwandile Matthews from the Department of Education created a programme for opera which was a new thing. Opera was introduced to schools and I remember when this programme started it was called Tirisano Schools Choral Eisteddfod and I was in grade 11, in 2001.

I remember the solo was Summer Time from Porgy and Bess by Gershwin. I sang the solo and I won a provincial title. I had to go to Durban to represent my province, which is the Eastern Cape. I won number one. I sang with an orchestra for the first time in my life. The funny thing that happened that time was that I was late for rehearsals. I was used to singing to a piano and they said we were going to sing with a full orchestra and there wouldn’t be a conductor.

There was a conductor though, conducting the orchestra but you had to lead yourself. I said to myself, my God, I missed the final rehearsal. What am I going to do? I’ve never sung with an orchestra before, this is my first time. And, my mom said, “Just remember everything I taught you, you’ll be fine. If you were fine with a piano, don’t be frightened because of an orchestra.” I went the following day, I sang and I won. I was a champion. That was in 2001 then I got a scholarship to study music at UCT.

How I responded to the realisation that I was headed to great musical times

I was excited. I was scared at the same time because I come from a family that’s very reserved. I am a first born in my family, I have a sister and two brothers. It’s going to take long. When you decide you want to be a musician it’s scary because of everything that people tell you. At a time that it came I saw that actually I have a chance in this career. I am where I am supposed to be. I can make this work. I can make myself proud, I can make my parents proud, I can make my community proud, I can make my nation proud.

When I sat down I had to admit to myself and say I’m not going to fool myself or I’m not going to fool anybody much as I am good at what I am doing. There was great support and people really wished me well.

Keeping my voice at its peak

I go to a voice lessons once a week. I work with a coach twice a week. So, three times a week, I work with people that are not scared to tell me the truth. Tell me the things I want to hear and the things I don’t want to hear. That’s how you grow as a musician. You need people that won’t be scared or intimidated to tell you that now you are out of tune, now you sing heavy, now your voice was not focused. Sometimes the truth hurts but the truth makes me grow as a musician.

I practice at home. I make noise. I am very blessed that my family is very supportive. They understand once I start singing and humming and doing my scales.

Working with young talent

I love and I enjoy working with young people. They are not complex at all. For me it’s always an honour to work with them. I see it as an opportunity to learn from them or to remind myself that this music is not as complex as I sometimes think it is. You just have to sing with your soul and trust that the instrument that you’ve been given is good enough.

Young people are interesting in a sense that, you hum something to them even before you give them the music and already they pick it up. They sing with a natural voice, they sing with so much ease because singing comes from a very honest place. So when I work with young people, I actually have less work to do instead I sometimes get intimidated.

Giving thanks to God

First, thanks to God. To higher powers, that first and foremost I have a voice. Thanks to my mom and my entire family. I have people that are so loving and supportive, and supportive of my craft. They love me so much to allow me to do what I want to do and be who I am in this world. I’m so grateful. I’m a mom of a five-year-old little girl, who loves art. I mean she wouldn’t be my child if she didn’t have a love for art or if she didn’t have appreciation for art. When I look at her, I’m filled with so much hope.

To God for trusting me with this gift. It’s not so easy at times, it’s got challenges. It’s not as glamorous as most people think.

To my family, my mom, my granny, my siblings, my relatives. No one in my family decided to continue in this journey of being a musician with all the gifts that we’ve been given. They all sing at church to uplift others. My mom decided to groom young singer to become soloists like myself because that’s where I come from. I am very proud of that.

To my husband and child for their sacrifices. They play a very huge role in my career. I am so blessed that I get to travel the world with my family by my side. If I go to audition, if I go to compete in a voice competition, if I go to have concerts in the world, my family is always there with me. I don’t take that for granted.

I have such strong support people that I meet in different parts of the world, people from my own country, from my community that are supportive, people from my church, my spiritual parents and the friends that I have. There’s just so many people involved in my success, I can’t take the credit and say I did it by myself, I didn’t. There’s a saying that goes “it takes a village to raise a child” and I believe that in my situation, indeed it is taking a village to get me to where I am and to continue to get me to where I see myself.